Sports for the disabled: the evolution from rehabilitation to competitive sport.

Paralympians – Unknown Heroes Next Door*

“…The International Olympic Committee gave its support to the International Paralympic Committee in logistical and other matters needed in organization of the Paralympic Games and other activities. The International Paralympic Committee makes distinction between 6 disability categories of sportsmen: wheelchair, amputee, visually impaired, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, and les autres (7,9). Within each category, disabled people can practice recreational or competitive sport, as well as participate in national and world competitions.…”

“…They start doing sports usually after the completion of medical rehabilitation, when they have to adapt their kinetic activity to both medical and sport requirements (5,6). Sports for disabled persons developed in several directions (7,8):…”

“…In spite of their physical handicaps, they promote the principles of a different kind of sportsport of people with disabilities. The organization in charge of organizing the Games is the International Paralympic Committee, which gathers more than 150 member countries, represented by their national paralympic committees and international sport organizations classified by different disability groups (7,8).…”

A new outlook on the evaluation of health state and physical capacity of skiers with disabilities as exemplified by a female Paralympic Champion

“…Początkowo uprawianie sportu przez osoby z niepełnosprawnością -w tym również narciarstwauznawano jedynie za kontynuację rehabilitacji leczniczej oraz wspomaganie społecznej, edukacyjnej oraz zawodowej integracji z osobami pełnospraw-nymi [1][2][3].…”

“…Initially, sport for the disabled (including skiing) was only considered as a follow-up to medical rehabilitation and as a support of social, educational and professional integration with able-bodied individuals [1][2][3].…”